Zambia National Building Society (ZNBS): Champion of Financial Inclusion & Affordable Housing Africa 2025

ZNBS advances financial inclusion and narrows Zambia’s housing gap by mobilising affordable funding and extending services to underserved communities while sustaining performance. The society applies a stakeholder framework and embeds environmental, social and governance principles to balance profitability, prudence and purpose. It supports home ownership by keeping mortgage pricing competitive through economic cycles and by collaborating with developers, local authorities and organisations, including Habitat for Humanity. Serviced land banks in Mansa and Lusaka lower entry costs and enable incremental building for buyers. On the financing side, ZNBS blends capital from development finance institutions to underwrite mortgages at rates, widening access to credit. A digital transformation programme is underway, featuring investments in a new core banking system, mobile and internet banking, automated loan origination and inclusive credit analytics. Partnerships with fintech channels broaden reach so clients can open accounts, apply for loans and transact conveniently nationwide. The society also promotes financial literacy to strengthen savings discipline and down-payment readiness. Data-led collaboration with public, private and civil-society partners maps the housing value chain to identify bottlenecks and target solutions that scale delivery. By aligning risk management with social outcomes, ZNBS demonstrates how a national building society can catalyse affordable housing at scale while delivering value to its shareholder and the wider economy. The Capital Finance International (CFI.co) Judging Panel congratulates Zambia National Building Society (ZNBS) on winning the 2025 Champion of Financial Inclusion & Affordable Housing Award (Africa).